Macron and Sunak seal a "renewed entente" in Paris with an agreement in the fight against illegal immigration

In her brief stint as British prime minister,

said she didn't know if French President Emmanuel Macron was friend or foe.

Her predecessor Boris Johnson made fun of the Gallic accent.

Much more diplomatic, the current

, Rishi Sunak, has staged today in Paris a new stage in the deteriorated relations between London and Paris.

Both leaders have greeted "a renewed entente" with a very different tone from London: "Our meeting symbolizes a renewed starting point, due to history, geography and the values ​​we share," Sunak said at a joint press conference at the Elysée after a meeting devoted above all to

and the war in Ukraine.

The leaders have evoked aspects of "that crucial alliance": immigration, energy and security.

In the first aspect, they have agreed to strengthen

and reinforce surveillance in the English Channel.

"We share the same conviction. Criminal organizations should not decide who enters our country," said Sunak, who considered that this challenge is a "common challenge" that involves other EU countries, not just London and Paris.

Specifically, they have agreed that the United Kingdom will give France 543 million euros between now and 2026 to strengthen cooperation

.

It will help finance the construction of a detention center for illegal immigrants in the north of France and will strengthen surveillance in this hot spot.

The arrival of thousands of irregular migrants to the English coasts from the north of France (45,000 in the year 2022) has been a source of tension on both sides of the English Channel.

In fact, this agreement comes days after the United Kingdom approved a controversial law that restricts the right of asylum to illegal immigrants who arrive in its territory.

This standard has been criticized by international organizations.

The other central issue has been

.

Both leaders have also shown harmony and share the vision that "Russia cannot and should not win this war", in the words of Macron.

"We have helped the Ukrainian people to resist and we are doing everything possible so that it does not go global. Ukraine belongs to the European family," he said.

Both he and Sunak have agreed to

and want to "jointly prepare the way out of this conflict and leave the Ukrainians in the best possible situation for future negotiations."

"We want a lasting peace that respects the interests of the people and international law," Macron said.

Both have stressed that these conditions and moment for peace "will be dedicated by Ukraine".

A LUSTER OF 'VOID'

It has been five years since a Franco-British summit was held.

Then a newly elected president Emmanuel Macron, radiant and not yet worn out, received the then British Prime Minister, Theresa May, at the Élysée.

A Brexit, a pandemic, a war and three premiers later, Macron receives Sunak in a different geopolitical context, highly influenced by the war.

Historical allies,

.

In the last five years, however, the relationship had cooled.

Brexit was one of the triggers, as was the aforementioned migratory tensions in the English Channel.

However, many analysts believe that Sunak may now be Macron's best ally.

The war in Ukraine has made the countries of the East gain weight, while the United Kingdom and France are the only nuclear powers in Europe.

In these five years "there are two things that cannot change: our history, because we have a common history, and the geography that unites us," Macron said.

The Frenchman has indicated that this "is a moment of reunion, reconnection and a new starting point".

"We are going to fight together against the prospects in this new context," he added.

The sample of this new stage in relations is

, who has chosen France on his first trip abroad.

Seven key ministers (Defense, Interior, Foreign Affairs, Economy or Energy) have traveled with Sunak.

"Our long history, our proximity and our shared vision of global challenges mean that a close partnership between the UK and France is not just important, it is essential," said Rishi Sunak.

"We want our cooperative relationship with allies to continue to be maintained, and we are writing a new chapter in this relationship."

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

Know more

• London

• Paris

• Emmanuel Macron

• France

• Boris Johnson

• Ukraine

• United Kingdom

• Theresa May

• Brexit

• yellow vests